Our November Bulletin
Here is our November Bulletin
Eveminet is an IT Firm that specializes in digital literacy and online safety and we make intentional and consistent small habits a part of our daily routine to make a long lasting impact and difference.
Whereas we observed OCSAM – (October Cyber Security Awareness Month) which was a great month full of positive interactions and collaborations, we decided to make November even more engaging with the ecosystem of the child.
It is important to emphasize that our business model works on collaborating with those in the ecosystem of the child to create awareness and build capacities that enhance online safety.
Here is a run down of our month:
We began by participating in COP 27, a United Nations Climate Change Conference where countries came together to take action towards achieving the world’s collective climate goals as agreed under the Paris Agreement and the Convention.
We choose to make contributions to climate action by looking at climate technology and education and youth’s response to the guidance from the UN framework Convention on climate change to denote work under Article 6 of the Convention and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement.
We incorporated these unto our Whiz Kids Africa – Kids Can Code Program that equips children from the age of 5 to 17 years to use critical thinking in solving world problems through coding ( as 21st century parents and educators we acknowledge the importance of coding as a critical skill for children growing in the fourth industrial revolution)
The learning outcomes of our intervention is to look at the global infrastructure provided by the member countries, explore the UN Framework and Paris Agreement together with the commitments made by our president, Hon. Dr. William Ruto in mitigating climate change, thereafter, developing a solution while leveraging technology.
Our Founder, Evelyn attended the (EA- IGF) – East Africa Internet Governance Forum whose theme was a “Resilient internet for shared common knowledge in East Africa” where Kenya focused on Data protection, Information and Communication technologies and elections.
We then changed gears by launching cohort 8 of our signature 5 session digital parenting programs dubbed parents unplugged.
This program seeks to take parents back to default mode where we begin by looking at online safety from the home/society lens. We are guided by the African quote that says, “it takes a village to raise a child” and focus on the entire ecosystem of the child while asking ourselves – “who has access to my child(ren)”. We then build skills that enable parents and guardians to be intentional on creating conducive environments for their children to thrive ensuring that technology works for the family.
Our trainers enjoy interacting with learners and this month, we have had the pleasure of interacting with parents, educators and children but speaking of children who are such a delight, we managed to train 400+ learners on digital wellbeing and footprint as we delved in their social media interactions, these trainings are always mind blowing experiences as we get to be schooled by the learners ????. 400+ learners in a month is not so shabby eh? ????
On the 20th of November, we observed the International Day of the Child by appreciating and acknowledging the roles our young blood plays in society and their contributions in enriching our society.
GIZ – Engagement
Our founder Evelyn attended a GIZ funded project dubbed strengthening intermediaries of the Kenyan Digital innovation ecosystem. The project is part of the Digital transformation project focusing on development of Kenya Innovation Digital Hub and development of digital solutions and approaches to promote digital skills in the innovation ecosystem.
The Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Kenya was set up to improve the country’s preconditions for a digital transition towards a sustainable digital economy (project goal / Modulziel). Hereby the DTC capitalizes on the existing innovation ecosystem, seeking to strengthen it, while also looking at the wider societal impact of digital technologies. By establishing strategic partnerships and consultation loops across a wide spectrum of public, private and civil society actors, the DTC’s engagement stretches across four output areas:
(1) entrepreneurship, digital skills and innovation
(2) data protection
(3) data markets, open data and AI
(4) digital economy ideation lab
Eveminet’s contributions were on the preconditions for the digital transformation towards a sustainable digital economy in Kenya.
The EdTech Summit that took place at CEMASTEA was not only a highlight for us but an absolute honor to participate and engage, here is why…
The Kenya EdTech Summit 2022 was a convening for powerful public and private sector influencers who can move the EdTech ecosystems forward towards evidence based, technology – enabled teaching and learning.
The pandemic saw us leverage on technology and we transformed all our programs online to ensure that learning continues and that bumped up our efforts on online safety.
Through research, a report was launched – Remote Learning Survey 2020 where we looked back and interrogated if children learned remotely and how effective the learning was.
The report looked at the following:
- Low and inequitable access to digital learning.
- Parental awareness of children’s remote learning.
- The most utilized platform for accessing digital learning was not accessible.
- Public schools were least prepared to support digital learning.
We interrogated the difference between digital literacy and digital learning by exploring the principles for Digital Development.
As an organization we have built out products using the principles for development where we have incorporated – Design with the user – we have gamified content for children under 10 years of age, it is also audio- visual and script and speech translated for equity and inclusivity. We reuse and improve by reducing the need for printing which also speaks to our efforts to mitigate climate change. The ecosystem is the center of our work and it is driven by data plus build for sustainability. Online safety covers privacy and security which is the anchor of our business.
The summit was to create an inclusive, effective and resilient learning system in Kenya through coordination, transparency and action, through the collaborative efforts we made, the goals were met.
Our CEO wrapped the week by attending an MSF – Ministerial Stakeholder Forum through KEPSA – Kenya Private Sector Alliance’s Education Sector Board and Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Education Hon. Ezekiel Machogu at Jogoo House, Nairobi. The Sector Board was led by its Chair Dr. Vincent Gaitho together with the two Vice-Chairs Ms. Wairimu Njage and Ms. Priscila Kerebi.
The Cabinet Secretary thanked the private sector for its contributions to the education sector. He urged the private sector to provide input towards the sector reforms through the Presidential Working Party whose report will shape the trajectory of Education in Kenya. He also expressed his hope for a closer working relationship with the private sector, which he acknowledged to be the engine of growth, promising to meet the private sector regularly to engage across various issues.
Eveminet’s contribution towards digital literacy and online safety has seen us engage over 700 families, 11,000 learners together with their educators and caregivers during the pandemic season (2020 – now)
Our efforts on Child Online Protection have seen us become safety partners with Meta, Google and TikTok in Sub Saharan Africa and we have close collaborative engagements with the government – ICT Authority, Communication Authority of Kenya and Kenya Films Classification Board.
Global IGF Participation
The 17th annual IGF – Internet Governance Forum 2022 meeting that is currently being hosted in a hybrid format in Addis Ababa – Ethiopia
The meeting is hosted under the overarching theme: Resilient Internet for a shared sustainable and common future that is developed around the following themes:
- Connecting all people and safeguarding human rights
- Avoiding Internet Fragmentation.
- Governing Data and Protecting Privacy
- Enabling Safety, Security and Accountability
- Addressing Advanced Technologies, including AI
Eveminet has participated in the Meta Youth Wellbeing Round Table where we were taken through new safety resources and interventions in alignment with one of their goals which is to protect and empower responsible digital citizens.
There was an acknowledgment to the efforts we contribute as a safety partner in SSA on redefining Meta’s understanding with parents and guardians with the reflection of the UN’s Best Interest of the child.
Meta has a priority towards youth wellbeing and safety aligns with our core mandate to provide digital literacy skill and online safety skills and tools that enable families to make technology work for them.
We also managed to attend the discussion on Strengthening African Voices in Global Policy which was on the thematic tract on Connecting All People and Safeguarding Human Rights. It explored the digital policy priorities of African countries and the involvement in global digital governance processes.
Eveminet is committed to equip children with responsible empowerment as well as skill and tool those within their ecosystem with knowledge and capacities to play their roles on matters of online safety. As we usher in the last month of the year, our engagement will be with families appreciating the long holidays ahead.
Happy New Month for Team Eveminet.